Sony's TOP SECRET Plan to Destroy Canon

Tony Northrup and Chelsea Northrup have fun contemplating Sony's future cameras and business strategy. Tony builds a case for why Sony's past and present business strategies might be signaling a top secret camera project that's on it's way to the market.

[arthurgphotography]

As a Sony full frame landscape shooter I haven't upgraded since the A7RIII because the software upgrades weren't compelling enough. I did decide to try the Olympus/OM systems cameras because of what they are doing in that arena. Absolutely blown away by how much more creative freedom I have to leave my tripod behind when I'm shooting with my OM-1. Being able to simulate ND filters in broad daylight by stacking exposures in camera, as well as creating a RAW file is incredible. The many other computational modes far exceed even what my phone can do.

[Chris-NZ]

As a hobby photographer for close to 50 years and even though my career was tech heavy I think this is about the time I’m getting off the upgrade bus.

[BartStevens]

I am one of the few Samsung Galaxy NX owners. A smart camera with interchangeable lenses and Android built-in. I LOVED that thing. Straight filters; uploading to facebook, instagram, ... It was an amazing camera way ahead of its time. If Sony goes that route ... I am game!

[lhefling]

This is perhaps the most brilliant video I have seen from you guys. Very well done and as an IT expert and former software driver/OS designer it makes perfect sense. I also believe the mix of OS level comms throughput and computational photography w/AI functionality will continue to make it even more challenging to be a professional - which I believe is healthy. What set Ansel Adams apart during his time, and what will set the next level pros apart in 10 years? Fascinating stuff - well done!

[MyAvalonPhotography]

I am a retired engineering Dean with a background in optics and signal processing- you are absolutely correct!

[dennyfree]

This discussion was like watching Sherlock and Watson discussing the aspects of a major crime. The thought process that they present is so logical that it gives it a tremendous amount of credability. I think the Northrop's are spot on in their predictions. Just how the whole process will unfold will only be answered in the passage of time.

[PhilIpp]

The interesting question is: Will they create a new and technically independent camera with all that features or just a lens with a docking station to your Xperia phone (the phone would do all processing and connectivity) ? The second option would increase their sell of phones too.

[RealTechnoPanda]

Samsung tried doing this 10 years back! They bailed out, let's hope Sony pushes through....

[gpsanino]

You made me recall the Samsung NX1, so ahead of its time also with its version of Linux as OS and many of the features you describe. Thanks for always providing such a professional and practical insight on this technology.

[ProTch]

Sony already have alpha cameras running android. The a6300 and other cameras that era, had android operating system and supported apps. You could buy the timelapse app from Sony. The firmware were broken, so we know it was running android, there are third party android firmware available for that camera. Then Zeiss released the ZX1, which I'm sure Sony had a lot to do with. It could be they needed a test hardware they can develop on. So all current alpha cameras either running Android, if not then Linux which is Android is based on. So they can already use all the Android/Linux drivers for things like WIFI 6 or Bluetooth or 5G Modems. The reason Sony have bad wifi, is that they are cheap on the processor/system on chip. They use old manufacturing processes with old ARM cores, because it's cheaper, and probably consumes less power. So the functionalities missing are hardware limitations. To make a true Android camera, they need better processor, better screen, much bigger battery, they need to solve startup time, basically look at the Zeiss ZX1 for problems. I'm skeptical about this. Especially since they introduce new features, like the new AI chip autofocus which for sure required a lot of development time. They also made a lot of features for ZV lineup, with smart framing and all that. It seems to me they are full on developing alpha cameras and not holding back. Android camera especially one with internet connectivity, would require security updates and Sony is really bad at firmware updates. They don't want news like Sony camera hacked. I'm not convinced if they are doing it. If they come up with it it will not be a professional model, as professionals don't want to deal with all the shortcomings of such a new camera, they need a well oiled machine. My guess is a high end enthusiast camera in the $3000+ range.

[stevencrawford]

Samsung tried in 2013 with the Samsung Galaxy NX. From what I remember of the reviews everybody loved that it was more modern with the WiFi/3G/GPS connectivity and touch screen. Directly post your photos from the camera to social media, the camera itself was just a modified camera app. I remember it because it made me almost regret buying my a6000 at the time. But then Samsung closed it's camera division right after it's release so we never got to see it become more refined. I've pretty much been waiting for another company to do the same, because god damn we are in the past with the OSs of these cameras.

[mikecullis]

Many experiences of taking my Canon camera gear on vacation and becoming bewildered by the point and shoot brigade of tablet/smart phone shooters. While I am chimping exposure adjustment up/down to cater for bright/dark subjects, difficult lighting situations - they just hit the button and the end results on tablet screens are simply astonishing. I have asked the question, many times, as to when the camera manufacturers will develop the algorithms that can provide a similar capability. I found your detailed explanation of the benefits of using Android as a camera Operating Platform to be fascinating and your future prediction for Sony cameras to be very plausible.

[eahughey]

Tony I think you are absolutely right. The only point I diverge is which consumer group will they introduce an Android based camera. I do not think Pros will be the first market. I think it will be V-loggers and Prosumer groups to test the water. Some Pro photographers will pick up a Prosumer grade camera and love it or hate it. Either way they have protected their Pro lineup while they gauge acceptance. Honestly Canon will use all their marketing power to kill a platform like this because once it happens every lineup is under threat if people love an android based camera. Samsung was the first to attempt it but they didn't go far enough and shutdown their camera division.

[mongini]

i wanted this since the Pixel 3 launched... seeing what computational photography can do with that crappy tiny sensor was mindbending... Think about where we are now... still small sensors but they can put out some serious image quality - scale that to an APS-C or Full Frame sensor. You'd never think about ISO noise again, shoot ungodly HDR... If thats whats comming we're in for a treat...

[NBPT]

Ok, I made it through the video and you asked for feedback. I absolutely hope you are spot on. It's about time camera interfaces moved forward from the current menu structures to smartphone like convenience....as long as they keep the photo centric control of our equipment up to us in that transition. 👍

[sabatiniontech]

As a developer of 50 years experience and having built very large and very complex projects, I agree with you totally. It boggles my mind that some camera manufacturer has not just bought complete cell phones without cases or integrated cameras and just integrate this into a camera. Dual processors, one for the cell phone and one for the camera.
What is curious here is both Samsung when they were making cameras and Sony (NEX-5N) with one of their first interchangeable lens cameras, used graphical operating systems to control the camera. Additionally Olympus and the Alice camera project which straps a normal cell phone to a camera module.
Sony has two others techniques which will change the industry, stacked sensors with a global shutter like the Nikon Z9 and Z8, which makes cameras much less expensive due to no mechanical shutter, and dual layer photo diodes which double the light gathering area of the sensor increasing its sensitivity by one stop.

[davidbarajas]

The Northrup’s are not crazy !! I’ve followed the leading edge of digital (on a small budget). I started with the Agfa 1280 in 1996 have gone through dozens of point and shoots and then APS-C’s. Currently mirrorless Fuji X-S10. Always the latest and greatest I could afford was my desire. Yet “he who never looks back” recently discovered the 2015 Nikon 1 J5. Tiny thing micro SD, one-inch with a DXO score of 65. I love it. I want a wider lens line up, the latest 1 inch sensor (DXO 88 ??), 7 stops in body stabilization, the best computational HDR. A small small body that the new generation of smart phone shooters can relate to and will carry. Chelsea at 22:45 talks about cameras moving into the present. The present being smart phone photography (and photographers). I think Sony will start at the 1” end (the present), not full frame. Full frame is 1913-1914 Oskar Barnack. The Northrups are not crazy or if so, then so am I.
Oh dear I just thought of all the people in my life who have called me cray cray !! : )

[hector]

The problem with Android is that it takes ages to boot. The camera would need to have a backup battery to keep the ram alive when swapping batteries.

[captainwyoutube]

But what about boot? The camera would need to be always on, because it needs to function instantly. But unlike phones, a camera might be in a drawer for a week, so the battery would be flat. It would need to be either dual battery or dual system, so the enhanced functionality boots in the background after shooting has begun. Probably both because it can't reboot every time you change the battery.

[barrymackichan]

I didn’t read this until now, ten days after it dropped. So, wow! Tell me as soon as the SDK drops! I can see, for example, encrypting and signing photos (although that might require something like Apple’s Secure Enclave holding a different key for each individual camera). It should be possible to guarantee that a picture was taken by a certain camera at a certain time and location. I can see some possible applications in specialized areas, such as camera traps, etc. Also, Tony, when were you at Microsoft? I was there 1988-94.